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(N0 ModeL) E. DU PONT.

GUNPOWDBR PRESS. No.35Q048. PaentmiSept.28,188&

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OOOOOOOO N. PETERS Plmloiflhogmpher. Wnsmnglon. l: L

UNITED STATES PATENT UEETCE.

EUGENE DU POXT, OF VILMINGTON, DELAWARE, ASSIGNOR TO E. J. DU PONT DENEMOITRS C: (0 OF SAME PLACE.

GUNPOWDER-PRESS.

:LPECIE'ICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 350,048, datedSeptember 28, 1886.

Application filed June 5, 1585.

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, EUGENE Du loNr, a citizen of the United States, anda resident of \Vilmington, in the State of Delaware, have invented acertain new and useful Machine for Compressing Explosive Compounds; andI hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, rel'- erence being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming part ol. the specification.

In said drawings, Figure 1 is a view of my improved machine, taken invertical section. Fig. 2 is a view of tllOlllOltl-pltttO, showingtherecesses of molds for holdingthe powder to be compressed.

Similar letters indicate similar parts in different figures.

. A A is a frame for holding the operative parts of the machine.

B B are two hydraulic pistons or rams for exerting requisite compressiveforce.

0 O are chambers into which wateris forced to operate thee01npressing-pistons.

I) I) are pipes for supplying water to the hydraulic pressu re-chambersG G. Said pipes communicate with the same pump or with pumps arranged tooperate the pistons or rams equally.

In my machine it is very desirable that the two pistons or rams shouldmove and exert compressive forcepqually, and as machines of thischaracter are generally of large size and great strength, because verygreat power isto be applied, both the pistons are of considerableweight. In ordcr that the two pistons, ii. arranged in a verticalposition one above the other, should act with equal pressure or bebalanced. it is necessary that the pressure-chamber oi thelowerpistonshould be slightlylarger than that of the upper piston, if bothpressure-chambers' are to be supplied by one or by equally-acting pumps.This may be accomplished by enlarging the chamber of the upperpiston-rod, as shownin Fig. 1, or any other well-known means should beused to regulate the compressive force of the pistons, so as to equalizethe same.

E is a fixed mold-plate containing a number of apertures, X X, for thereception of powder, and in which the powder is to be compressed. Theseapertures are generally of Serial No. 167,740.

(X0 model.)

I have shown as made movable by means of" toggle-joint I, which, by thesuitable. connections K, is arranged to move all the pins or needlesupward together through the centcrot' the plungcrs (1. Attached to theother armor piston are other plungers, L, also corresponding in size,number, position, and arrange ment with the apertures X X for the powderin' the plate 1'], and provided with a central holc, M. to receive themovable pins or needies H.

The operation 01' this machine is as follows: A quantity of powder ispoured upon the plate E and swept into or otherwise placed in theapertures X X until such apertures are substantially full. The lower endof the apertures are closed at this time by the ends of the pl ungers G.The pins or needles H do not project above the surface 01' the plate 1so as to prevent the easy filling of the apertures X X. Vhen theapertures are all tilled, hydraulic pressure is applied to the rams orpistons B B, and such rams or pistons move toward each other withequalcompressive force. The plungcrs (l and L enter the apertures X X onopposite sides and compress the powder between them, and atthe same timethe pins or needles ll are raised by the toggle-joint l1 and itsconnections K, so that the pins or needles enter the holes M in theopposing plun- 9c gcrs. The result of this operation isthat the powderinihe apertures is compressed with equal force at both ends, and theresult is the formation ola large grain of the desired dimension amlform, (cylindrical or prismatic,) in which the ends of the grain, beingcompressed with equallymoving pistons or rams, are both hard, while thecentral parts of the grain are comparatively soft when thegrainisremoved from the molding apertures. A 1.0

grain of such construction having two hard ends and a comparativelysoi't center is of great advantage in firing large ordnance, as it'burns with rapidity from the center as well as the ends when oncestarted, though the initial rate of combustion is slow, owing to thecon1- pacted ends.

It is obvious that the machine may be arranged with the pistons movinghorizontally; but in that case the filling of the molds with powderwouldbe much more difficult. It is also obvious that other connections may beused for moving the needles than the togglejoint I and its connectionsK, the particular mechanism shown in such location not being anessential portion of myinvention. v

I contemplate constructing my machine with the needles or pinsimmovable, and, if desirable, I dispense with such needles or pinsaltogether and form solid grains.

The product of this machine is more fully ters Patent, is

In a machine for'forming grains of explosive compounds, the combinationof a fixed moldplate containing suitably-formed apertures fo r moldingpowder, two equally moving and bal- I aneed rams acting to compress thegrains from both ends, and pins passing through the apertures in saidmold-plate and having a longitudinal motion therein independently ofsaid rams, substantially as and for the purposes described.

EUGENE DU PONT.

\Vitnesses: V

.THoMAs HUN J. I HrNnoN HYDE.

